A black bear is seen at the Alaska State Capitol at 4:12 p.m. Thursday in this photo taken by Megan Wallace and provided to the Empire. The bear wandered downtown Juneau at the start of the evening rush hour, lingering outside Dimond Courthouse, the Capitol, Key Bank and a bear statue. (Megan Wallace | Courtesy photo)

A black bear is seen at the Alaska State Capitol at 4:12 p.m. Thursday in this photo taken by Megan Wallace and provided to the Empire. The bear wandered downtown Juneau at the start of the evening rush hour, lingering outside Dimond Courthouse, the Capitol, Key Bank and a bear statue. (Megan Wallace | Courtesy photo)

Black bear visits Capitol, courthouse

A black bear caused a brief stir in downtown Juneau on Thursday afternoon after it wandered onto the front steps of the Alaska Capitol, meandered back and forth across Main Street, and even stopped in front of the Windfall Fisherman statue.

No one was injured by the bear, which may be one of several black bears that have frequented downtown streets this summer.

A security guard who picked up the phone at the Capitol declined to comment.

State employees and other Juneau residents discussed the bear on social media as it gamboled through the downtown core.

• Contact reporter James Brooks at jbrooks@juneauempire.com or 523-2258.

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